Residents living along the Budhi Gandaki river in north central Nepal were forced to evacuate on Sunday due to flash flooding that caused significant destruction to homes and structures in the area. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority took swift action to evacuate villagers and advised others to relocate to safer areas while remaining vigilant until late Sunday. Fortunately, there were no immediate reports of casualties.
The disaster management agency is currently investigating the cause of the flash flood in the Budhi Gandaki river, a critical waterway that joins the Trishuli river and is situated near the capital city of Kathmandu.
Videos circulating on social media captured the devastation as houses and sheds were carried away by the raging river amidst towering mountains. The extent of the impact on the small villages in the mountainous region remains unclear, but reports suggest that the government’s warning led to evacuations in Arughat, a town along the river connected to Kathmandu and other regions.
Nepal is still grappling with the aftermath of a catastrophic flood in August along the Nepal-China border, which claimed the lives of over 1,400 individuals and left thousands missing.
Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s office announced the conclusion of search and rescue operations for additional victims on Monday. Authorities are now focusing on recovery efforts, including the restoration of infrastructure such as roads and bridges that were damaged by the floods, particularly in remote areas where access for aid delivery has been challenging.
The government anticipates that the rebuilding process will incur costs of $4.77 billion, with nearly 33,000 people affected and approximately 7,500 homes either damaged or destroyed in the disaster.
